Education & Resources

Plastic Bags - Why you can't put them in the curbside bin

We get a lot of questions about plastic bags at the Recycling Center.

May I put my recyclables in plastic bags and throw them in my curbside bin? NO.
May I put plastic bags by themselves in my curbside bin? NO.
May I bring plastic bags by themselves to the Coon Rapids Recycling Center? YES!
You will also find plastic bag recycling boxes at many retail stores.

What is the best way to put recyclables in my curbside cart? LOOSE (or if you must have them in something as you sort them, use paper bags. But it's better to dump those recyclables out of the paper bags, and put them loose in to the cart)

Please watch the video below to fully understand why plastic bags cannot go in your curbside bin. The video does a great job of explaining what we can all do to help the recycling industry!


Glass Recycling

Have you ever wondered how glass is recycled? Watch this video to learn more! Glass is a material that can be recycled over and over again - another great reason why it should never end up in the trash!



Light Bulb Ban
60 and 40 watt bulbs are banned as of December 31, 2013. Learn everything you need to know.

PaintCare Minnesota
Recycling paint is now more convenient with 203 retail drop-off sites throughout the state.